November 23, 2023

Events of the day

No commemorations in the content package for this day yet

• Afterfeast: Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple

Fasting

Fast day · Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast, Tuesday and Thursday (Typikon ch. 33): wine and oil, no fish.

• Meat: not allowed
• Dairy & eggs: not allowed
• Fish: not allowed
• Oil: allowed
• Wine: allowed

Food rules are reference church information. Agree your personal measure of fasting with a priest; consult a doctor if you are ill.

Readings of the day

• Epistle

  2 Thessalonians 2:13–3:5

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  ¹³But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth,

  ¹⁴to which he called you through our Good News, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  ¹⁵So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter.

  ¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,

  ¹⁷comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.

  ¹Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, even as also with you,

  ²and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.

  ³But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

  ⁴We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things we command.

  ⁵May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love, and into the perseverance of Christ.

• Epistle · St Alexander

  Galatians 5:22–6:2

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  ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

  ²³gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

  ²⁴Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

  ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit.

  ²⁶Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

  ¹Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.

  ²Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

• Gospel

  Luke 18:31–34

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  ³¹He took the twelve aside, and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.

  ³²For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.

  ³³They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.”

  ³⁴They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn’t understand the things that were said.

• Gospel · St Alexander

  Matthew 11:27–30

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  ²⁷All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

  ²⁸“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.

  ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.

  ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Source: Orthocal: lectionary data — Slavic tradition, New Calendar (OCA practice). Text: World English Bible.

Saints and icons

• Prayer of the day: Prayer to the Holy Spirit “O Heavenly King”